The Hill Country: Places to Explore

Dust off your chaps, loosen your saddle cinch, and stay a while. In Bandera the mythic tales of rodeos, ranches, and the "cowboy way" are all true. Not only will you see beat-up boots, worn Wrangler jeans... Read more

Just a few years ago Boerne was a quiet little town with a smattering of shops and small-town restaurants. Even though it had easy access to San Antonio (just 30 minutes' drive away), Boerne flew under... Read more

During most of the year, Burnet is a sleepy little town best known as a stop for people heading south from the Dallas area or east from Llano. Visitors can stop at the town square for a quick stretch... Read more

This small town west of San Antonio, in the Medina River Valley, is known as the "Little Alsace of Texas." The town's deep French roots began with founder Henri Castro, who first came to Texas in 1842... Read more

At first glance, Comfort resembles a lot of quiet Hill Country towns. It has the standard Dairy Queen and a small main street with historic buildings and antiques shops. But Comfort, known as the start... Read more

Fredericksburg is a heavily German-influenced town. The city square is called Marktplatz, there's a "wilkommen" sign hanging from every shop door, and the main B&B booking organization is called Gästehaus... Read more

Gruene is purely Texan. Ask many Central Texans if they've ever two-stepped in this little town and you'll see a nostalgic gleam in their eye. Just north of New Braunfels, Gruene stands as a pristine portrait... Read more

Adding to Marble Falls' tourist fame is the nearby resort town of Horseshoe Bay. Tucked into an immense cove on Lake LBJ, the resort began in the early 1970s and over the past few decades has added residential... Read more

Just 7 mi west of Kerrville, along the picturesque Guadalupe River, lies the small town of Ingram, where you can find a thriving art community. There's a turn-off to the south just west of town but it's... Read more

Johnson City is often described as a great place to stop on the way to somewhere else. Aside from its proximity to some of the Hill Country's main towns, Johnson City is probably most famous as the home... Read more

Years ago, Kerrville had the small-town appeal that draws thousands to Fredericksburg and Boerne. With the arrival of the railroad in the late 1800s this settlement of primarily shingle-makers became a... Read more

Lake Travis, the fifth in the series of Highland Lakes fed by the Colorado River, is a refreshing playscape for the Austin and Lago Vista areas, with dramatic Hill Country slopes. When the sun sets on... Read more

The greatest attraction to Llano is the drive out there. Whether you're heading north from Fredericksburg on Highway 16 or east from Mason on Highway 29, you'll see some of the most beautiful panoramas... Read more

Luckenbach isn't just some fabled Texas town romanticized by classic country singers Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. In fact it's hardly a town at all, but more a cul-de-sac at the end of a country road... Read more

Only 45 minutes west of Austin, bustling Marble Falls has become a popular destination for a quick weekend getaway. Three lakes, Marble Falls, LBJ, and Buchanan, are the primary summer attractions here... Read more

You don't just find yourself in Mason; you have to want to get there. Nestled in the rolling hills at the very northwest corner of this region, this pristine town was once a bastion of civilization for... Read more

If you like the remote feel of Bandera, head farther west on Highway 16 to Medina, a quiet treasure along the namesake river. Apple growing became a large part of this tiny town's industry in the late... Read more

With a name like New Braunfels, it's a safe bet that Germans had a great deal of influence in this town. And in fact, they did. New Braunfels was the first of the Adelsverein-movement settlements in the... Read more

San Marcos is the largest town between Austin and San Antonio on I-35. It's home to former President Lyndon B. Johnson's alma mater, Texas State University, the crystal-clear Aquarena Springs that feed... Read more

Wimberley's windy little roads, shady oak and cypress trees, and compact town square give it the feel of an English village. Established in 1848 with only a small trading post to its name, Wimberley's... Read more